Arsenal boss under-fire, but is his touchline ban to blame?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has come under intense scrutiny following the club’s back-to-back defeats.

The Gunners lost 3-1 to Chelsea this weekend, which all but ended their title hopes, but a win away at Stamford Bridge could hardly have been expected.

The loss at home to Watford earlier in the week however was an expected three points, with the Hornets having not won an away match in the league since October, while we had won six and drawn one of our previous seven in all competitions.

This double blow has come while Arsene Wenger has been forced to sit up in the stands, with Steve Bould forced to fill in during his absence, yet those fans who have moved to slam the manager have seemingly overlooked that.

The 67 year-old’s importance on the touchline seems to have been overlooked, although admittedly it will have been his organisation and selection which will have played a part in his side falling two goals down early into the loss to Watford.

Many fans are now calling for him to be sacked, although the majority simply insist that he is not allowed to sign a new contract, but it is not as cut-and-dry as that. Mesut Ozil has already admitted that Wenger’s future is negotiation factor when considering his contract talks, and with the German into the final 18 months of said deal, that is a worry.

There is also the issue with who could possibly replace him, and do better than he has with the budget permitted, with the likes of Diego Simeone and Jurgen Klopp looking unlikely acquisitions come this summer, leaving us with Massimiliano Allegri as favourite, but he has 18 months remaining on his Juventus contract.

Would we have gained more points had Wenger been with the team? Is Wenger getting more stick than he deserves?

Pat J

Tags Arsenal Wenger

16 Comments

  1. We blamed the stadium for twelve years then his zipper on his coat last year and yes let’s blame the ban this year

  2. Unlike Pep, Mou and Klopp, Wenger doesn’t do much to influence the game from the touchline…These guys are often seen giving advice to the players while the game is on. Wenger just shouts at the 4th officials and the ref. In post match interviews, he can be seen saying things like “Mentally we were abit slow from the start”…when its too late – if he could see that why doesn’t he do something about it while the game is on.

    1. “Mentally we were a bit slow from the start” and still waited for the final whistle to go talk about that in front of the camera instead of doing something early from the start. what a joke of a manager

  3. Ever since 2008,I’ve been telling idiots both on this site and in the real world, Wenger needed to be replaced. And all I got were these kinds of responses,
    “You’re a Spud”
    “He doesn’t have money,due to the new Emirates stadium”
    “Kronke and Gazadis are holding him back”
    “The players aren’t loyal”
    “In Arsenal we trust”(no seriously that’s what they were saying)
    “He can’t compete with Chelsea,United,City and Liverpool(this last example was beyond ridiculous”
    “He will buy next season”
    Excuse after excuse for a senile Luddite.
    Now the chickens have finally come home to roast. And I’m not the one crying.

  4. Ozil likes Wenger cause Wenger doesn’t mind if he doesn’t help out defensively. Unfortunately the modern game requires more versatile midfielders that assist in defending. Our midfielders dont defend well and leave defenders exposed. If Sanchez can work so hard defensively i dont see why the likes of Ozil cant help as well.
    Is Wenger the peoples person type of manager..
    You loose a game – no panic, it happens.
    If you a big name player – performing poorly, you wont get subbed

    1. Ozick is going through what Arshavin,Fabregas,Gervhinio, etc were going through, Laziness due their managers ineptitude.

      1. would he do the same under Simeone? that’s why he’s so committed to Wenger, coz the old man doesn’t care and pampers his favorites

        1. BS, Ozil has never shown a glimmer of hard graft. If it was a case of him just skiving because of the manger well the truly shame on him, that’s ridiculous to suggest. His own pride would kick in if he wasn’t such a lightweight, the way he dodges away from a challenge tells you all you need to know. He’s always been a flake of a player, and it’s not the body language, he’s a flake.

  5. As Wenger doesn’t appear to shout instructions from the sidelines, he likes the players to make their own decisions on the pitch, I don’t think the touchline bam has made any difference. He has selected the team, discussed tactics, given the talk before and at halftime and any substitutions he can tell Bould via telephone. It does make you wonder how much input Bould has anyway.

  6. Oh, so let’s blame the ban now for our current failings was it the ban that caused us to under achieve for the past 12 years

  7. The blame will be put on everything except the cause of our demise which is wenger. When I played I was always up for the Saturday game come Friday. The managers always installed a winning mind set prior to kick off but Arsenal have lacked this and oh boy has it been obvious.
    I have to admit that the game against Southampton in the cup was the one game that I thought every player wanted to win.
    The problem with Arsenal is over the last number of years a lot of the supporters are living in the past and are awaiting the messiah to rise again. It’s not going to happen when wenger is at the helm. He has to go! We need new blood and new ideas. Please go wenger!!!!

  8. It’s the same old same old. We look like we might win the league, then slip up, then 4th place becomes our target, most years and we end up being relieved/grateful.

    Its similar in some games. We either go behind and play catch up, or we get a lead then relax while the opposition catch us up and then we make a mad dash for either a draw or a narrow win.

    So for me, that is down to the team psyche, which seems to be like this whatever the players, and that has to be down to AW. So yes, he is Mr consistent, but he hasn’t got the impact on the team that gives them belief they are champions.

    Or, in other words when the chips are down he has little to no answer. There is no fire, no grit, no tenacity or pure self belief. That is what propelled Leicester last season, they rode the crest of a wave. We have it in spurts, but then doubt seems to creep in.

    I honestly believe that AW has lost an extra element that drives teams and which is necessary to become champions. Hence why some believe a change is needed, but that requires the board to take a risk, which is kind of the point…….

  9. Really????
    He hasn’t had a touchline ban for a decade has he??
    Club has NO ambition and WONT spend big on the players that will really make a difference, they are happy with 4th and just ticking over making a huge profit and raping the fans week in week out and IMO Wenger does what he can and is half to blame and half not. Its Bullsh!t and until we are bought out or at the very least get rid of that turd Kroenke NOTHING will ever change regardless of who manages us. I want Wenger gone but the board will replace him with a cheap Ar$e licking replacement and things may get even worse than they are now.

  10. Why I cant green arrow the best comments?? …….Well, well, well, another disappointing year, this one worse as CHELSKI will win the EPL….. it’s become way of life to comment once more ARSENAL’s debacle, it’s getting Old just like our Manager……got to the point when you just need to ask the unwanted visitor to get the hell out and not thank him for the gift he brought….while we keep looking for arguments to excuse the Old man’s ineptitude I foresee that nothing will change for at least the next 2 years….if Ozil and Sanchez want to leave nothing stops them, just go, to them thanks for the good times after all they came hopeful to make a career with ARSENAL and win some titles, just to find out that they ended up in the graveyard of once great players….Fenerbace next stop
    Wenger thank you for making our lives a bit more interesting by having us point out how outdated you became and by it dragging one of the biggest teams in the World down the drain with you and your memories…..and for God’s sake do not dare to compare us with the SPUDS fans don’t add insult to injury.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors